PROFINET
System Description
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Open Solutions for the World of Automation
Introduction 
The ever-shorter innovation cycles for 
new  products  makes  the  continuous 
evolution  of  automation  technology 
necessary.  The  use  of  fieldbus  tech-
nology has been a significant innova-
tion in the past few years. It enabled 
the migration of centralized automati-
on systems to distributed automation 
systems. PROFIBUS, as a global mar-
ket leader, has set the benchmarks for 
20 years.
In today‘s automation technology, mo-
reover, Ethernet and information tech-
nology  (IT)  is  increasingly  calling  the 
shots  with  established  standards  like 
TCP/IP  and  XML.  The  integration  of 
information  technology  into  automa-
tion  is  opening  up  opportunities  for 
significantly improved communication 
between automation systems, far-ran-
ging  configurations  and  diagnostics, 
and  network-wide  service  functions. 
These  functions  have  been  integral 
components  of  PROFINET  from  the 
outset. 
PROFINET  is  the  innovative  open 
standard  for  Industrial  Ethernet. 
PROFINET  satisfies  all  require-
ments  of  automation  technology. 
PROFINET enables solutions to be 
developed  for  factory  automation, 
process  automation,  safety  ap-
plications,  and  the  entire  range  of 
drive  technology  up  to  and  inclu-
ding  isochronous  motion  control 
applications. 
Besides  the  real-time  capability  and 
the  use  of  IT  technology,  protection 
of investment also plays an important 
role in PROFINET. PROFINET allows 
existing  fieldbus  systems  such  as 
PROFIBUS  DP,  PROFIBUS  PA,  AS-
Interface, INTERBUS, and DeviceNet 
to  be  integrated  without  changes  to 
existing field devices. That means that 
the  investments  of  plant  operators, 
machine  and  plant  manufacturers, 
and device manufacturers are all pro-
tected.
The  use  of  open  standards,  simple 
handling,  and  the  integration  of  exi-
sting  system  components  has  driven 
the  definition  of  PROFINET  from  the 
beginning. PROFINET is standardized 
in IEC 61158 and IEC 61784. 
The  ongoing  further  development  of 
PROFINET  offers  users  a  long-term 
view  for  the  implementation  of  their 
automation tasks. 
For plant and machine manufacturers, 
the  use  of  PROFINET  minimizes  the 
costs for installation, engineering, and 
commissioning.  For  plant  operators, 
PROFINET offers ease of plant expan-
sion and high system availability due 
to  autonomously  running  plant  units 
and low maintenance requirements. 
The mandatory certification for PRO-
FINET devices ensures a high quality 
standard.
Contents
   
   
 
1.      PROFINET  at a Glance ...................................... 3
1.1    PROFINET IO Highlights ...................................... 3
1.2    Standardization ..................................................... 4
1.3    Scope of application of PROFINET ...................... 4
1.4    Perspectives on PROFINET ................................. 4
1.5    Component model (PROFINET CBA) .................. 5
1.6    Distributed I/O (PROFINET IO) ............................ 5
1.7    PROFINET and real-time ...................................... 5
1.8    PROFINET and isochronous mode ...................... 5
1.9    Device classes of PROFINET IO .......................... 5
1.10  Addressing in PROFINET IO ................................ 6
2.      PROFINET IO Basics .......................................... 7
2.1    Device model ........................................................ 7
2.2    Application process identifier (API) ....................... 8
2.3    Communication in PROFINET IO ......................... 8
2.4    Principles of real-time communication 
in PROFINET IO ................................................... 9
 
2.5    Real-time classes in PROFINET IO ...................... 9
2.6    Cyclic data traffic ................................................. 10
2.7    Acyclic data traffic ................................................ 10
2.8    Multicast Communication Relation (MCR) ........... 10
2.9    Event-oriented data traffic.................................... 10
3.      Diagnostics Concept of PROFINET IO ............. 11
3.1    Overview of the structure of an alarm message .. 11
3.2    Diagnostics in PROFINET ................................... 11
3.3    Monitoring functions in IO-Controller and 
 
IO-Device ............................................................. 11
4.      Mode of Operation of PROFINET IO ................. 12
5.      System Power-up............................................... 13
5.1    Application and communication relations ............ 13
5.2    Neighborhood detection....................................... 13
5.3    Topology detection ............................................... 14
5.4    Application example for LLDP ............................. 14
5.5    Communication during connection 
 
5.6    Optimized connection establishment 
(‚Fast Start Up‘) .................................................... 16
 
   
6.     
IRT Communication in PROFINET IO ............... 17
6.1    Definition of an IRT domain ................................. 18
6.2    Clock synchronization for IRT communication ..... 18
6.3    Flexible RT_CLASS_ 2 communication  .............. 18
6.4    RT_CLASS_3 communication ............................. 19
6.5    System power-up with IRT ................................... 19
6.6    Tips for communication ........................................ 20
6.7    Mixed operation of synchronized and 
 
    unsynchronized applications................................ 20
7.      PROFINET IO Controller .................................... 21
7.1    Parameter server ................................................. 21
8.      Device Description (GSD file) ........................... 24
9.     
I&M Functions (Identification & Maintenance) 24
10.    Redundancy ....................................................... 25
10.1  Media Redundancy Protocol (MRP) .................... 25
10.2  Media redundancy for RT frames (MRRT)........... 26
10.3  Media redundancy for RT_CLASS_3 frames 
 
    establishment and parameterization .................... 15
(MRPD) ................................................................ 26
   
   
    model ................................................................... 33
    component ........................................................... 32
11.    Conformance Classes (CC) .............................. 27
12.    Application Profiles for PROFINET IO ............. 28
13.    PROFINET for PA ............................................... 29
14.    Tool Calling Interface (TCI) ............................... 30
15.    PROFINET CBA .................................................. 31
15.1  Technological modules in a plant ......................... 31
15.2  Technological module and PROFINET 
 
15.3  PROFINET engineering in the component 
 
    model ................................................................... 32
15.4  Downloading to the field devices ......................... 33
15.5  Real-time communication in the component 
 
15.6  Device description for the component model 
 
(PCD) ................................................................... 33
15.7  Software stack for the component model ............ 34
15.8   PROFINET CBA and PROFINET IO ................... 34
Integration of Fieldbus Systems ...................... 36
16.   
16.1 
Integration via proxy ............................................ 36
16.2  PROFIBUS and other fieldbus systems............... 36
17.    Web Integration .................................................. 37
17.1  Security ................................................................ 37
17.2  Segmentation....................................................... 38
17.3  Network management.......................................... 38
17.4 
IP management ................................................... 38
17.5  Diagnostics management .................................... 38
18.    PROFINET and MES .......................................... 39
18.1  Operations in MES............................................... 39
18.2  Maintenance state ............................................... 39
18.3 
Identification......................................................... 39
19.    Network Installation ........................................... 40
19.1  PROFINET component approach ........................ 40
19.2  Network topologies .............................................. 40
19.3  Environmental classes ......................................... 41
19.4  PROFINET cabling .............................................. 41
19.5  Plug connectors for data ...................................... 41
19.6  Data cables .......................................................... 41
19.7  Plug connectors ................................................... 42
19.8  Network components ........................................... 42
19.9  PROFINET installation ......................................... 42
19.10  Industrial Wireless ............................................... 42
20.    PROFINET IO Technology and Certification ... 43
20.1  Technology support.............................................. 43
20.2  Certification test ................................................... 43
21.    PI – the Organization ......................................... 45
21.1  Duties................................................................... 45
21.2  Membership ......................................................... 45
21.3  Organization for technology development ........... 45
21.4  Technical support ................................................. 45
21.5  Documentation..................................................... 46
21.6  Web site ............................................................... 46
22.    Glossary ............................................................. 47
2 
PROFINET Technology and Application, Version April 2009 
Plant topology
Visualization  of  the  plant  topology 
in  conjunction  with  informative  dia-
gnostics is integrated in PROFINET.
Plant diagnostics
PROFINET supports convenient plant 
diagnostics through a combination of 
basic  services  available  as  standard 
features in the higher-level controller
.
Isochronous data transmission
With PROFINET, deterministic and iso-
chronous transmission of time-critical 
process data is possible within a pe-
riod of a few hundred µs. PROFINET 
requires  this  deterministic  communi-
cation, for example, for high-accuracy 
closed-loop control tasks.
Redundancy concept
PROFINET  offers  a  scalable  redun-
dancy  concept,  which  guarantees 
smooth changeover from one commu-
nication path to the other in the event 
of  a  fault.  The  redundancy  concept 
defined  in  PROFINET  increases  the 
plant availability significantly.
 
Device replacement without
ES tool
Failure of a PROFINET device is de-
tected and signaled automatically. No 
special  knowledge  is  required  to  re-
place the device. Any replacement de-
vice in the warehouse can be installed 
in the automation system. Addressing 
as  well  as  loading  of  required  para-
meters  is  carried  out  automatically. 
Devices having an incorrect degree of 
expansion are detected automatically 
during power-up.
Engineering 
Through  support  of  the  Tool  Calling 
Interface  (TCI),  any  field  device  ma-
nufacturer  can  interact  with  any TCI-
capable engineering system  (ES) and 
communicate  with  „its“  field  devices 
(Device Tool)  from  the  ES  for  purpo-
ses of assigning parameters and per-
forming diagnostics.
individual  parameters 
Saving  of 
(iPar server)
Parameters  determined  on  a  plant-
specific  basis  are  saved  and  loaded 
autonomously. The iPar server allows 
vendor-neutral  loading (e.g., via TCI) 
of 
individually-assigned  parameters 
optimized for the specific plant as well 
as automatic archiving on a parameter 
server. Downloading also occurs auto-
matically during device replacement.
  1. PROFINET at a Glance
PROFINET  is  the  automation  stan-
dard  of  PROFIBUS&PROFINET  In-
ternational  (PI).  PROFINET  is  100% 
Ethernet-compatible  as  defined 
in 
IEEE Standards. With PROFINET, the 
following  minimum  data  communica-
tion  requirements  are  automatically 
established:
•  100 Mbps data communication with 
  copper  or  fiber  optic  transmission  
 
(100 Base TX and 100 Base FX)
•  Full duplex transmission 
•  Switched Ethernet
•  Autonegotiation 
 
transmission parameters)
(negotiating  of  
•  Autocrossover (sending and recei- 
  ving 
the  
  switch)
lines  are  crossed 
in 
•  Wireless  communication  (WLAN  
  and Bluetooth)
PROFINET  uses  UDP/IP  as 
the 
higher  level  protocol  for  demand-
oriented  data  exchange.  UDP  (User 
Datagram Protocol) contains the non-
secure,  connectionless  broadcast 
communication in conjunction with IP. 
In parallel to UDP/IP communication, 
cyclic  data  exchange  in  PROFINET 
is based on a scalable real-time con-
cept.
1.1 PROFINET IO Highlights
The four key functions of PROFINET 
are:
•  Performance:  automation  in  real- 
 
time 
•  Safety:  safety-related  communica- 
 
tion with PROFIsafe
•  Diagnostics:  high  plant  availability  
  due  to  fast  commissioning  and  
  efficient troubleshooting
• 
 
Investment  protection:  seamless  
integration of fieldbus systems
In addition, PROFINET offers a series 
of special functions.
Figure 1.1: Functionality of PROFINET is scalable.
PROFINET Technology and Application, Version April 2009 
3
Very simple device replacement 
The  integrated  neighborhood  detec-
tion  functionality  enables  PROFINET 
field  devices  to  identify  their  neigh-
bors. Thus, in the event of a problem, 
field devices can be replaced without 
additional  tools  or  prior  knowledge. 
This information can be used to repre-
sent the plant topology in a very easy 
to understand graphic display.
1.2 Standardization 
PROFINET IO has been incorporated 
in  the  current  edition  of  IEC  61158. 
IEC  61784  describes  the  subsets  of 
the  services  specified  in  IEC  61158 
that are to be applied for PROFINET. 
The PROFINET concept was defined 
in  close  cooperation  with  end  users. 
Additions  to  the  standard  Ethernet 
protocol as defined in IEEE 802 were 
made  by  PI  only  in  cases  where  the 
existing  standard  could  not  meet  the 
requirements  in  a  satisfactory  man-
ner.
1.3 Scope of application of  
 
  PROFINET
PROFINET  satisfies  all  requirements 
of  automation  technology.  The  many 
years  of  experience  with  PROFIBUS 
and  the  widespread  use  of  Industrial 
Ethernet  have  been  rolled  into  PRO-
FINET. 
 
The use of IT standards, simple hand-
ling,  and  the  integration  of  existing 
system  components  have  driven  the 
definition  of  PROFINET  from  the  be-
ginning. The figure below summarizes 
the functionality currently provided by 
PROFINET.
The  ongoing  further  development  of 
PROFINET  offers  users  a  long-term 
view  for  the  implementation  of  their 
automation tasks.
For  plant  and  machine  manufactu-
rers, the use of PROFINET minimizes 
the costs for installation, engineering, 
and commissioning. 
The plant operator benefits from the 
ease of plant expansion and high avai-
lability  due  to  autonomously  running 
plant units. 
Establishment of the proven certifica-
tion process ensures a high standard 
of quality for PROFINET products.
Use of the user profiles defined up to 
now  means  that  PROFINET  can  be 
used in virtually every sector of auto-
mation  engineering.  PROFINET  pro-
files  for  the  process  industry  and  for 
train  applications  are  currently  under 
development.
1.4 Perspectives on  
 
  PROFINET
The PROFINET concept is a modular 
concept that allows the user to chose 
the functionality he requires.
functionality  differs  mainly 
The 
in 
terms  of  the  type  of  data  exchange. 
This distinction is necessary to satis-
fy the very stringent requirements for 
data transmission speed that exist for 
some  applications.  Figure  1.2  shows 
the  relationship  between  the  PROFI-
NET CBA and PROFINET IO perspec-
tives. Both communication paths can 
be used in parallel.
PROFINET CBA is suitable for com-
ponent-based  machine-to-machine 
communication  via  TCP/IP  and  for 
real-time communication to meet real-
time  requirements  in  modular  plant 
manufacturing. It enables a simple mo-
dular design of plants and production 
lines based on distributed intelligence 
using  graphics-based  configuration 
of communication  between  intelligent 
modules. 
PROFINET IO describes an I/O data 
view on distributed I/O. PROFINET IO 
features  real-time  (RT)  communica-
tion  and  isochronous  real-time  (IRT) 
communication  with  the  distributed 
I/O. The designations RT and IRT are 
used  solely  to  describe  the  real-time 
properties of communication. 
PROFINET  CBA  and  PROFINET  IO 
can  be  operated  separately  and  in 
combination  such  that  a  PROFINET 
IO unit appears in the plant view as a 
PROFINET CBA plant.
 
Figure 1.2: PROFINET perspectives.
4 
PROFINET Technology and Application, Version April 2009 
1.5 Component model  
 
  (PROFINET CBA)
This  variant  is  defined  in  PROFINET 
CBA (Component Based Automation). 
Its  strength  is  revealed  in  communi-
cation  between  Programmable  Logic 
Controllers  (PLC).  The  basic  idea 
behind CBA is that whole automation 
systems can be often be grouped into 
autonomously  operating  and,  thus, 
very clearly arranged units. The struc-
ture and functionality can be repeated 
in  identical,  or  slightly  modified,  form 
in  multiple  plants.  These  so-called 
PROFINET components are generally 
controlled by an easily identified set of 
input  signals.  Within  the  component, 
a control program written by the user 
executes the required functionality of 
the  component  and  sends  the  corre-
sponding  output  signals  to  another 
controller. The engineering associated 
with this is vendor-neutral. Communi-
cation in a component-based system 
is configured rather than programmed. 
The  communication  with  PROFINET 
CBA (without real-time) is suitable for 
bus cycle times of approximately 50 to 
100  ms.  Data  cycles  on  the  order  of 
milliseconds are possible in the paral-
lel  RT  channel  -  same  as  in  PROFI-
NET IO.
 
1.6 Distributed I/O  
 
  (PROFINET IO)
PROFINET IO is used to connect dis-
tributed  I/O  for  fast  data  exchange. 
The scalable real-time concept is the 
basis for this. 
PROFINET  IO  describes  the  overall 
data  exchange  between  controllers 
(devices with master functionality ac-
cording  to  PROFIBUS)  and  devices 
(devices  with  slave  functionality)  as 
well  as  the  parameterization  and  di-
agnostic  options. A  device  developer 
can  implement  PROFINET  IO  with 
any  commercially  available  Ethernet 
controller. The bus cycle times for the 
data exchange are in the milliseconds 
range. Configuring an PROFINET IO 
system has the same look and feel as 
in PROFIBUS. The real-time concept 
is  included  in  PROFINET  IO  without 
exception.
1.7 PROFINET and real-time
Within  PROFINET  IO,  process  data 
and alarms are always transmitted in 
real  time.  Real-Time  for  PROFINET 
(RT)  is  based  on  the  definitions  of 
IEEE  and  IEC  for  high-performance 
data  exchange  of  I/O  data.  RT  com-
munication  constitutes  the  basis  for 
data exchange in PROFINET IO. 
 
Real-time data are handled with high-
er  priority  compared  to TCP(UDP)/IP 
data.  This  method  of  data  exchange 
allows  bus  cycle  times  in  the  range 
of  a  few  hundred  milliseconds  to  be 
achieved.
1.8 PROFINET and iso- 
 
  chronous mode
Isochronous  data  exchange  with 
PROFINET is defined in the Isochro-
nous-Real-Time  (IRT)  concept.  Data 
exchange  cycles  are  normally  in  the 
range of a few hundred microseconds 
to  1  millisecond.  Isochronous  real-
time communication differs from real-
time communication mainly in its iso-
chronous  behavior,  meaning  that  the 
bus cycles are started with maximum 
precision. The start of a bus cycle can 
deviate by a maximum of 1 µs. IRT is 
required in motion control applications 
(positioning operations), for example.
1.9 Device classes of
 
  PROFINET IO
PROFINET follows the Provider/Con-
sumer model for data exchange. The 
provider (usually the field device at the 
process  level)  provides  process  data 
to  a  consumer  (normally  a  PLC  with 
a processing program). In principle, a 
PROFINET IO field device can contain 
any  arrangement  of  functions  (provi-
der/consumer).  Figure  1.3  presents 
the device classes (IO-Controller, IO-
Supervisor,  IO-Device)  and  the  com-
munication services.
The following devices classes are de-
fined to facilitate structuring of PROFI-
NET IO field devices:
runs 
IO-Controller
This  is  typically  a  PLC  on  which  the 
automation  program 
(corre-
sponds to the functionality of a class 1 
master in PROFIBUS).
 
IO-Supervisor 
(engineering  station,  for  example): 
This  can  be  a  programming  device 
(PG), personal computer (PC), or hu-
man  machine  interface  (HMI)  device 
for  commissioning  or  diagnostic  pur-
poses.
IO-Device
An IO-Device is a distributed I/O field 
device  that  is  connected  via  PROFI-
NET  IO  (corresponds  to  the  function 
of a slave in PROFIBUS).
A plant unit contains at least one IO-
Controller  and  one  or  more  IO-De-
vices.  An  IO-Device  can  exchange 
data  with  multiple  IO-Controllers.  IO-
Supervisors  are  usually 
integrated 
only temporarily for commissioning or 
troubleshooting purposes. 
 
Figure 1.3: Clearly structured communication paths in PROFINET IO.
PROFINET Technology and Application, Version April 2009 
5
Following  address  resolution,  the  sy-
stem  powers  up  and  parameters  are 
transmitted  to  the  IO-Devices.  The 
system is then available for productive 
data traffic.
1.10 Addressing in  
 
    PROFINET IO 
PROFINET 
IO  field  devices  are 
addressed using MAC addresses and 
IP  addresses.  Figure  1.4  shows  a 
network  that  comprises  two  subnets. 
These are represented by the different 
network_IDs (subnet mask). 
For  PROFINET 
IO  field  devices, 
address  resolution  is  based  on  the 
symbolic name of the device, to which 
a unique MAC address is assigned. 
 
After  the  system  is  configured,  the 
engineering tool loads all information 
required for data exchange to the IO-
Controller, including the IP addresses 
of  the  connected  IO-Devices.  Based 
on the name (and the associated MAC 
address),  an  IO-Controller  can  reco-
gnize the configured field devices and 
assign them the specified IP addres-
ses  using  the  DCP  protocol  (Disco-
very and Configuration Protocol) inte-
grated in PROFINET IO. Alternatively, 
addressing  can  be  performed  via  a 
DHCP server. 
Figure 1.4: A PROFINET IO network can comprise several subnets.
6 
PROFINET Technology and Application, Version April 2009